Choose the Best Moisturizer for Oily Sensitive Skin
If you think oily sensitive skin should not be moisturized, think again. If you have sensitive skin, which is either oily or a combination of oily and dry, you have unique needs that require special attention. In either case, your skin will need hydration. However, it's important which moisturizer you choose, or you'll end up with disaster. If a moisturizer clogs your pores, it can leave your face feeling like an oil slick and potential of breakouts.
Unfortunately, most brands of moisturizers simply increase the skin's oil production, leaving undesirable results. Learn what your skin really craves and choose which moisturizers and skin care products for oily skin work best for you.
Why It's Important to Moisturize Oily Sensitive Skin
There is a myth many people believe, that if you have oily sensitive skin, you don't need moisturizer. This is a myth because if your skin becomes dry due to harsh irritating acne soaps or oily skin cleansers, your skin will produce more oil to lubricate the skin. Moisturizing can actually reduce the amount of oil your skin produces by keeping your skin hydrated and reducing your body’s need to produce its own oils.
Different products promise results but choosing the right one for you can be difficult, particularly if you have oily and sensitive skin. The harsh chemicals and ingredients in some personal care products may be all it takes to leave you with a rash, itching, or wishing you’d never bothered to moisturize at all.
Your Personal Oily Skin Moisturizer Needs
The main purpose for moisturizing oily sensitive skin is to hydrate your skin while decreasing oil production in the epidermis. The epidermis is the outer layer of the skin that's visible to the eye. This layer has a deep layer of melanin, which determines the skin color, and cells called squamous cells and basal cells. This layer protects your skin from environmental pollutants and damage. It's important to keep it clean and healthy with the best daily skincare routine for sensitive skin.
The epidermis is what protects you from environmental pollutants. It's important to keep it clean with a gentle sls free face wash for oily skin and an alcohol free toner before moisturizing.
The dermis, or the layer deeper than epidermis, contains sebum, an oily substance that helps keep the skin from drying out. Your pores allow sweat and sebum to reach the skin's surface. There are certain steps you should follow to find the perfect and best oily sensitive skin moisturizer for your skin.
Wash and dry your face, and wait an hour. Then, press a clean tissue against your forehead, nose, chin and cheeks. If the tissue is clean, you have normal skin. If you notice flakes on the tissue, you have dry skin. Oily spots on the tissue reveal oily skin. If you notice patches of oil in the forehead, nose and chin, then you have combination skin. |
- Choose an oil-free facial lotion or a light day cream moisturizer.
- Determine what skin type you have. For example, you may have all-over oily skin or a combination skin type, where your forehead, nose and chin contain all the oil (t-zone). In this case, you may need a combination moisturizer instead.
- Oil-free facial lotions tend to be lighter than creams and absorb easily without leaving a greasy feel.
- Choose lotions that are non-comedogenic, which means will not clog pores. Any skin care product that clogs pores, will worsen acne.
- You'll need to protect your skin from UV rays of the sun. Opt for a light lotion broad spectrum sunscreen with zinc oxide. Those with zinc oxide are the safest and most effective.
- Most mineral-based makeup contain zinc oxide and will provide UV rays protection. Plus the minerals tend to absorb the oil on your skin.
- Rice Powder finishing powders made of cosmetic grade rice powder work great to absorb oil. Use if on your skin after applying makeup or by itself.
Oily skin shines and has a greasy-appearance with large pores. Your sensitive skin moisturizer should smooth your skin, attract moisture to the skin, keeping it healthy and hydrated without the greasy-look. Stay away from petroleum types of products. These seal moisture in but also clog pores and are not the friend of sensitive skin.
Removing the dead cells that accumulate on the surface of your skin is important. Skin cells slough off every 30 to 45 days, depending on your age. If they remain on your skin, healthy cells can't replace them and you'll end up with problem, unhealthy looking skin, even acne flare up. Using a gentle exfoliating scrub will help remove these dead cells from your sensitive skin, helping the cell turn over more quickly.
